Vertical pipe conveyor

Abstract

A pipe conveyor may include a conveyor belt formed into a pipe-like shape to define a space that contains material to be transported by the conveyor. Along at least a portion of the pipe conveyor, friction drive conveyors or friction tires may be positioned. The friction drive conveyors may include friction drive belts that engage the pipe conveyor belt. Via this engagement, the friction drive conveyors apply a force to the conveyor belt that moves the conveyor belt in a desired direction. Further, when the friction drive conveyors or friction tires are positioned within an inclined vertical section of the conveyor belt, the friction drive conveyors or friction tires vertically lift the pipe conveyor belt via pushing the conveyor belt in a vertical direction, thus assisting a drive pulley that vertically pulls the conveyor belt and material transported on the conveyor belt from a lower elevation to a higher elevation.

1 . A conveyor system, comprising:
 a pipe conveyor including a head end, a tail end positioned at an elevation lower than the head end, and an inclined section between the head end and the tail end;   at least one friction drive conveyor that engages the pipe conveyor within the inclined section; and   the at least one friction drive conveyor configured to push a belt of the pipe conveyor in a direction from the tail end to the head end of the pipe conveyor.   
     
     
         2 . The conveyor system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one friction drive conveyor comprises at least one pair of friction drive conveyors positioned on opposite sides of the belt of the pipe conveyor. 
     
     
         3 . The conveyor system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 at least one bias member that presses the at least one friction drive conveyor against the pipe conveyor.   
     
     
         4 . The conveyor system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one friction drive conveyor includes a friction drive conveyor belt that engages the belt of the pipe conveyor. 
     
     
         5 . The conveyor system of  claim 4 , wherein the at least one friction drive conveyor further includes a support structure configured to support the friction drive conveyor belt. 
     
     
         6 . The conveyor system of  claim 1 , wherein a portion of the belt of the pipe conveyor defines an oval cross-section area configured to receive material therein. 
     
     
         7 . The conveyor system of  claim 6 , wherein the portion of the belt defining the oval cross-section area includes a substantially flat surface and the at least one friction drive conveyor engages the substantially flat surface. 
     
     
         8 . The conveyor system of  claim 6 , wherein the oval-cross section defined by the portion of the belt tapers outward in the inclined section when moving in a direction from the tail end to the head end of the conveyor. 
     
     
         9 . The conveyor system of  claim 6 , further comprising material contained within the oval cross-section area, and the material substantially fills the oval cross-section area. 
     
     
         10 . The conveyor system of  claim 1 , further comprising a material loader positioned proximate the tail end of the conveyor and configured to deposit material onto the belt of the pipe conveyor. 
     
     
         11 . The conveyor system of  claim 1 , further comprising a slider bed positioned under the belt of the pipe conveyor proximate the tail end of the pipe conveyor. 
     
     
         12 . The conveyor system of  claim 1 , wherein the inclined section is substantially vertical. 
     
     
         13 . The conveyor system of  claim 1 , wherein the inclined section inclines at an angle greater than 30 degrees as measured from a horizontal plane. 
     
     
         14 . The conveyor system of  claim 1 , further comprising a transition from a first substantially horizontal section to the inclined section. 
     
     
         15 . The conveyor system of  claim 14 , further comprising a transition from the inclined section to a second substantially horizontal section. 
     
     
         16 . The conveyor system of  claim 1 , further comprising a drive pulley positioned proximate the head end of the pipe conveyor and operatively associated with the belt. 
     
     
         17 . A method of operating a conveyor system, comprising:
 transporting material from a tail end to a head end of a pipe conveyor where the head end of the pipe conveyor is at a higher elevation than the tail end of the pipe conveyor and the pipe conveyor includes an inclined section positioned between the tail end and the head end; and   employing at least one friction drive conveyor that engages the pipe conveyor within the inclined section to push a belt of the pipe conveyor from the tail end to the head end of the pipe conveyor.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising employing at least one bias member to press the at least one friction drive conveyor against the pipe conveyor. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising overlapping the ends of a portion of the belt to define an oval cross-section area for containing the material. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the portion of the belt defining the oval cross-section area includes a substantially flat surface, and the at least one friction drive conveyor engages the substantially flat surface. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising employing a material loader positioned proximate the tail end of the pipe conveyor to load material onto the pipe conveyor. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the inclined section is substantially vertical. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising transitioning the pipe conveyor from a first substantially horizontal section to the inclined section. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising transitioning the pipe conveyor from the inclined section to a second substantially horizontal section.